Description

The design patterns paradigm (Alexander 1979) was originally developed as a form of design language within architecture and offered a set of design solutions drawn from expert practice that could be then deployed by anyone to solve novel design challenges. Given the range of studies that have demonstrated the value for educators in engaging in design orientated approaches, the aim of the project here has been to explore, define and articulate the successful design principles that underpin the development of Massive Open Online Courses, and to put them forward for the design of new MOOCS. This is particularly important as different approaches to their delivery, pedagogy, functionalities and support mechanisms have arisen. Some of these have been successful and others not so successful, as evidenced, for example, in the variability in the retention rates across different MOOC offerings (Jordan 2014). The approach here has drawn on previous work in the field of design patterns and pattern languages and used the Participatory Patterns Workshop methodology (Mor, Warburton, and Winters 2012). Participants were invited, first to share their accounts of successful MOOC development as design narratives, and then collaboratively extract and validate design patterns over the course of three intensive workshop sessions. Input into these workshops has included designers, deliverers, researchers, learners and tutors who have been engaged in the area of MOOCs and Open and Distance Learning. This has helped explore design processes and mechanisms by which we come to create and deliver open and distance learning at scale and by extension how we can formulate this into sharable design solutions that can be applied by others. Twenty design patterns are now available for use and they foreground particular areas of design interest such as principles that allow the creation of ‘participation pathways’ adapted or adaptable to specific profiles of learners. They have been organised into six thematic areas: Structure: Adjacent Platforms; Mooc Legacy; Bring Them Along; Scaffolded Mooc; Checkpoints;Orientation: Induction; Bend Don’t Break; Know Your Audiences; Participation: Fishbowl; Provocative Question; Chatflow; Sparking Forum Participation; Sharing Wall Learning: Knowing The Story; Six Minute Video; See Do Share Community: Crowd Bonding; Drumbeat;Management: Engendering teamwork. In this session we intend to present the design patterns through a rapid design game. This will demonstrate a simple design cycle in which the patterns can be deployed to help design novel MOOCs and will incorporate the use of persona cards and self/pre-defined learning and teaching challenges. The following set of design activities will be carried out during the session:1 – Icebreaker – sketch your dream MOOC;2 – Create your micro design challenge;3 – Working with personas;4 – Applying design patterns;5 – Reflection-presentatation on the rapid design process.By the end of the session participants will have sketched out a prototype MOOC design and have a clear understanding of the value of using a design based approach to build a MOOC. Alexander, C. (1979). A timeless way of building. Oxford University Press: New York. Jordan, K. (2014). Initial trends in enrolment and completion of massive open online courses. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15(1) Mor, Y; Warburton, S. and Winters, N. (2012). Participatory pattern workshops: a methodology for open learning design inquiry. Research in Learning Technology, 20

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